Automatic threading shuttle



July 3,

E. c. NICHOLS AUTOMATIC THREADING SHUTTLE Filed May 13, 1944 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

. EDWARD C. NICHOLS BY ATTORNEY Patented July 3, 1945 501 a v 'Au'roM rIo'rnnEAD G'snUrTLE;

EdwardpC. Nichols, Uptonp' lt'lass assignor .-to H Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corpov ration of Maine.

- "ApplicationMaylii, 1944, Serial No. 535,451 7-Clain1s. (oust-217).

'- end 'againstthe end of anadjustin'gscrew A'si'ngle pair of tension pads is not entirely satisfactory since-an even and uniform pressure may not alwayshe applied to the filling threa'-d. Forexample'gi'f the'thread is of uneven diameter, the passage of a thickened portion will caus'e'separa-i tion of the pads *andthe pads ordinarily cannot move toward each other quicklyenoughto engage the filling thread as the diameter thereof abruptly decreases. a resultlittleor no tension is, ap-

' pliedto the filling'thread uncler such'condi ti'ons;

Thus wide variation of tensionis applied'tothe fillingthread and wide variation iii-the appear:

ing which illustrates" apreierred elnbodinient oftheinvention and in which: p

Figflis a plan view of thejend of "a shuttle .having the present inventiomembodied therein;

anc orzthe filling thread in the wovenjclothwill follow particularly when filling threa'd'of rayon orfother syntheticmaterialis being used.

To avoid such wide variation or tension-when uneven-filling isbieing-wovenQtwopairs'of tension pads orclamping devices are used and since one ofthese pairs of' -pads will' always engage the filling thread such'wide variation of tension can{ not occur. It was found; however, to be' diilicult to maintain a uniform clamping pressure since the spring adjusting screws would'loosen during operation oi the shuttle, V p I To this end and in accordance with one object of, the invention,'the presentthreading block is provided. with resilient means Whichiscaused to engage and bear againstthe adjustinglscrewsior thetensi'on springs and'which resilient ;meansis heldiin pressure engagement with said screw hya single adfiustable member. Thus both screws areheId in adiustedposition and the tension on on the pads is maintained as. desired,

As illustrated, the screw holding, or locking means comprises a relatively stifi spring wire which is deformed and caused to bear against the exposed portions of the spring adjustingscrews. by means of a single screw engaging the wire between the two adjusting screws. By this-con strnction, substantial pressure may he appliedto; the wire and to the spring adjusting screws by a single screw, thus providing an eifective and simple locking device;

With the above and other objects and features in view the invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying draw- F'ig. 2 i s a plan View, on a somewhat-enlarged scale; of tl'ie threadingblock' showri' in Fig. :1; 3 is a sectional view ti'ken suhstz'n'itiallyv along the line III- III Qf'FigTZ; and I Fig; 4' is a sectional view taken substantially han the ine Iv-Ivor Fig. 2,; i

' The shuttle shown inthe drawing comprises a shuttle body l0 having a cavityfl z'for receiving an automaticallyreplaceable filling carrier such als 'a bobbin-M. The shuttle is alsoprovided'with a recess l6 communicating with the cavity "(2 and which receives-a threading "blo'clojlt which delivers the filling threadF-to-aside delivery eye 0- H "The "shuttle "has-a longitudinally extending thread passage 2-2 which is inalinement with the cavity l2.- 3 The-threadpass'age extends-into'and through the threading block l8 and is defined by the rear wall 24 andthe front wall 26 of the threading block; A horn 28 projectsoutwar'dly and refarwa'rdly tothfeiou-ter end off'the rear wall-24. The threading block l8'disc'losed herein is substantially the same as the one dis closed in 'an application for United States Let- I ters' Patent, Serial No."459, 795," filed September 26;" l942fin the name of James Gardinernllen', now-PatentNot-23502307; to which'reference may be had fora detailed description "offth'ose elementswhich arenot necessary to a'corh'plete un-" ders'tanding of the present invention and which arenOt 'deScribed herein; The present threadingblock it; as illustrated, iS p QVided with two sets oftension-pads 3D, 3 21 'Ifhe's'e pa'ds are spring urgd toward each "other meepiy tension to the-filling F a it runs through 9 the threading block andsinee' both o 'f the'se sets 7 or pads are identical only one set willb d crihed;

'The pads'fii, as shown b'es't in "Fig.4, a "each providedi with a -laalte'i'ally extending portion 34 which fits into a hole '36 Sformedin the' -front and frearwalls of the threading block 'lil. These; laterally' extending portions prevent displacement ofthe upperends oi: the'pa'ds and displacement of theilower ends of the-"pads'is prevented by'a am: .38Lextendir'ig through the jfront' 'and "rear walls '7 of the threading block and "through tl'ie pads, as is usualinten-sion pads of this type:- The pads 32 aresp'ring urgcd' t'oward'each other by compression springs Ml and the f tensi'on' of eachspri'ng is adjusted'hyj means of members 3 fl-rwhich' are screw threaded'into openings '44 forme'din'the fron-t and -rear walls of the threadingxblotck l8. Thusf theiimembers Ml maybe rotated to increase or to decrease the tension on the springs 40. v p

In order to prevent undesired or accidental rov which engages and applies a friction drag to the screw members 42. As shown, most clearly in Fig. 3, a hole 48 is drilled longitudinally of the block 18 and which intersects the openings 44 and thus exposes a portion of the screw threaded members 42. The drilled hole 46 is of relatively large diameter and receives a wire 48 which fits into a small drilled hole which terminates in a larger drilled hole 50. The hole 50 is of sufficient size to receive a tool for bending the end of the wire 48, as shown best in Fig. 2, to hold the wire in position in the hole 46.

The wire 48 is deflected downwardly as shown in Fig. 3 by a screw 52 threaded in a vertical hole 54 formed in each of the front and rearwalls of the thread block l8. .The wire 48 is preferably formed of spring steel and thus bears quite strongly against the exposed portions of--the threaded members 42 when the screw 52 is driven home to press the wire against the bottom wall of the hole 52 and between the members 42. -The pressure of the wire 48- against each of the members 42 is sufficient to prevent rotation of said members 42 due to impact and vibration which may be set up during normal operation of the shuttle. The pressure of the wire 48 is substantially equal on each of the members 42 and since this equal pressure is obtained by turning a single screw 52, it is evident that an eiiective and simple means has been provided for preventing undesired or accidental rotation of the screw members 42.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment ofmy invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier, a threading block having a longitudinally extending thread passage in alinement with said cavity, tension means in said passage comprising pairs of opposed friction members extending transversely of said thread passage, means associated with each of said pairs of friction members for yieldingly pressing said friction members of each pairtogether, means for separately adjusting the pressure of each of said pairs of pressing means, and a common locking means engaging said adjusting means, and a single member engaging said common locking means for locking said adjusting means in adjusted position. Y

2. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier, a threading block having a longitudinally extending thread passage in alinement with said cavity, tension means in said passage comprising two pairs of friction members extending transversely of said passage means associated with one member of each pair for yieldingly pressing said one member against the other member, means for adjusting the pressure of each of said pressing means, and a single member arranged to engage both of said adjusting means, and a member for applying tension to said single member for locking said adjusting means in adjusted position.

- 8. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier, a threading block having a longitudinally extending thread passage in alinement with said cavity, tension means in said passage comprising two pairs of opposed friction members extending transversely tation of the screw member 42, means is provided of said passage, each of said pairs of friction members including a spring bearing against one of said members to apply tension to a filling thread located therebetween, an adjusting member for each spring and for controlling the pressure of each spring, means engaging said adjusting members, and a single member for pressing said last mentioned means into locking engagement with said adjustin members.

4. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier, a threading block having a longitudinally extending threading passage in alinement with said cavity, tension means in said passage comprising two pairs of opposed friction members extending transversely of said passage, a pair of springs each bearing against one of the friction members of each pair, a pair of screw threaded adjusting members for varying the tension of each of said springs, means engaging each of said adjusting members, and a single means for moving said engaging means into locking engagement with said screw threaded adjusting members.

5. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier, a threading block having a longitudinally extending thread passage in alinement with said cavity, means in saidpassage for applying tension to a filling thread, said means comprising two pairs of friction members extending transversely of said passage, a spring associated with each of said pairs of friction members for applying pressure directly to one friction member of each pair, a threaded member associated with each of said springs for adjusting the tension of each of said pair of friction members, a locking member arranged to engage said threaded members, and means for en'- gaging said locking member intermediate its ends to apply locking pressure thereto; I I

6. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier, a threading block having a longitudinally extending thread passage inalinement with said cavity, tension means in said passage, said tension means comprising two pairs of friction plates having contacting friction faces, springs arranged to engage one plate of each pair to said plate against the other plate of the pair, an adjusting screw bearing against one plate of each pair for adjusting the tensionof said springs, means in said block ar--- ranged to engage said adjusting screws, and a single member arranged to engage said. last mentioned means for applying pressure thereto to lock said screws in adjusted position, I s 7. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a cavity for a filling carrier, a threading block having a longitudinally extending thread passage in alinement with said cavity, tension means in said passage, said tension means comprising two pairs of frictionplates having con tacting friction faces, springs arranged to engage one plate of each pair to said plate against'the other plate of the pair, a pair of adjusting screws threaded into said threadin block for adjusting the tension of said springs, a wire member inan opening in said block located transversely of said screws and arranged to engage said screws, and a locking screw arranged to engage said wire member intermediate its ends for applying locking pressure to said adjusting screws,

EDWARD (J. NICHOLS; 

